What a Difference a Mom Makes : the Indelible Imprint a Mom Leaves on Her Son's Life.

LEMAN, KEVIN
WHAT A DIFFERENCE A MOM MAKES : THE INDELIBLE IMPRINT A MOM LEAVES ON HER SON'S LIFE

Every mom wants the best for her son. She wants him to succeed in life, to be a man of character, to find a good woman, to be a great dad. But sometimes boys are hard for moms to understand. Sometimes they're strange, annoying, and downright disgusting! Yet always they need a mother who is engaged and interested in them, because a mom is the most important person in a boy's life.

In What a Difference a Mom Makes, New York Times bestselling author Dr. Kevin Leman uses his wit and wisdom to show Mom how to lay the groundwork that will allow her son to grow into a good man. Armed with Dr. Leman's expert advice and insight, Mom will gain an understanding of her boy at every stage, from that very first diaper change to the moment he leaves for college. Dr. Leman shows how to discipline a boy, how to command respect, how to let him fight his own battles, how to understand his sexuality, and how to weather the changes in the mother-son relationship as he grows up. Most of all, Leman shows Mom how to lighten up and have some fun along the way with that boy who will always have her heart.

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My Review:

One of the best parenting books I've ever read. Dr. Leman has an incredible delivery; a brilliant combination of wit and wisdom...and oh my goodness but he's frank! The writing style is easy to digest while packing a wallop in a thought-provoking way. I really enjoyed how the author not only addressed child psychology but mom psychology as well. There's a chapter entitled Doormat, Dishrag or Strong and Smart that I think every woman should read whether she is the mother of a son or not. An excellent addition to any library shelf.

"Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc. Available at your favourite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group".

September Giveaway - Week Five

GIVEAWAY

won by Andrea Strong
and
Merry

won by Faithhopeandcherrytea

won by Samantha Kuiper

As always, I will contact the winners by email however thanks to the nefarious ways of the internet my email might land in your spam folder so keep your eyes peeled! :-) If you haven't heard from me by Monday evening please email me your snail mail address at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. From time to time winners and I don't seem to connect, so I have a two week time frame. If I can't reach you within two weeks your win will be forfeited and I will add an extra win to a future draw to even things up.

Looking Ahead to Next Week's Giveaways:



Speechless. I had no intention of reading this
book in one sitting but I couldn't help myself.

So excited to get at the story behind this
beautiful cover!

Wonderful romance with enough
animals in attendance to
satisfy my 'pet' craving!

 

Look-Alike Lawman

GIVEAWAY

KAYE, GLYNNA
LOOK-ALIKE LAWMAN

A Little Boy’s Hero. 

When big-city cop Grayson Wallace visits an elementary school for career day, he finds his heartstrings unexpectedly tugged by a six-year-old fatherless boy. Gray offers to mentor the child, but widowed mother Elise Lopez wants nothing to do with men in uniform. Now he can’t get the struggling Lopezes off his mind. All he can think about is what family means—especially after discovering the identical twin brother he hadn’t known he had in Grasslands. Maybe a trip to ranch country is just what he, Elise and 
little Cory need.

My Review:

This is the kind of story that will tug at your heartstrings long after you close the book. Cory is the sweetest little guy and his earnest pursuit of a friendship with Grayson is so endearing. Such a contrast to his reluctant and overly cautious mom. That conflict really ups the angstometer -- especially when you
throw in Gray's trepidation about getting involved with a single mom.

I could really relate to Elise's struggles to be independent. So intent on making it on her own to the point of refusing help even when she needed it. And Gray's knight-in-shining-armor gene kept kicking in and trying to fix things. Such a guy thing but oooohhhh such the wrong thing to do for an independent lady. Talk about sparks flying!

Kaye expertly weaves their romance through a complex plot that includes characters from previous books by different authors in the Texas Twins series. No need to read the others first -- I didn't, but am now clamoring to do so.  

Giveaway Opportunity:

If you would like an opportunity to win a copy of Look-Alike Lawman, please leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. If you post a comment and add your email address, please use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in the address to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email please remember to put the title in the subject line so that it's easy for me to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Sunday September 30 2012. Offer open to international reader

The Amish Bride

GIVEAWAY

CLARK, MINDY STARNS
GOULD, LESLIE
THE AMISH BRIDE

Ella Bayer and Ezra Gundy are in love and hope to marry someday, but she is a young Mennonite woman while he is an Amish man. Though both Plain, one of them will have to forsake what they believe to embrace another way of life.

Hoping some distance will cool the relationship, Ezra's family sends him to work at an Amish dairy farm in Indiana. But Ella disregards what her family wants and follows Ezra. In short order she finds a place to live, a job in a bakery, and an unexpected but budding friendship with a handsome Amish farmhand, Luke. When a family tragedy forces Ella back to Pennsylvania, she must face all she's been running away from. And once she has made peace with those around her, she has an important decision to make: Whose Amish bride will she become--Ezra's or Luke's?

My Review:

Enthralling. I already knew Ella since this is the third in the Women of Lancaster series so I was thrilled to read a whole book dedicated to her. However, this one reads well as a standalone too. There are some connections you won't get right away, but it won't ruin the story for you. 

The Amish Bride is one of the best character growth arc novels I've read. The authors do a wonderful and believable job of taking Ella from a somewhat self-absorbed, stubborn seventeen year old to a young woman of maturity and faith. Just loved reading her journey. And I was on her side right from the very beginning -- even when she was at her most teenage angstish! 

The inspirational thread really touched me. In fact, it helped an old hurt in my life heal. Perhaps that's why I felt such a connection with Ella's story -- why I rallied with her no matter what she said or did. I got the girl. And living parts of her life were like living parts of mine. God bless the authors for bringing me resolution even as they gave it to Ella.

There's a hint of mystery from generations past -- a plot twist these authors excel at. Loved the added depth it gave the story. The Amish Bride is very much a multi-generational tale as well. There's a rich legacy of family within the pages of this book. A family that isn't always perfect and doesn't have all the answers but draws together despite their differences when times are tough. An all round uplifting and inspiring story.

Giveaway Opportunity:

If you would like an opportunity to win a copy of The Amish Bride, please leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. If you post a comment and add your email address, please use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in the address to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email please remember to put the title in the subject line so that it's easy for me to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Sunday September 30 2012. Offer open to international readers.

Shattered Silence

GIVEAWAY

DALEY, MARGARET
SHATTERED SILENCE

A serial killer is targeting illegal aliens in southern Texas. Texas Ranger Cody Jackson is paired with a local police officer, Liliana Rodriguez, to investigate the murders. 

While the case brings Cody and Liliana ever closer, the tension between Americans and Mexican Americans heightens. As Cody and Liliana race to discover who is behind the murders and bring peace to the area, what they uncover isn’t what they expected. Will Cody and Liliana’s faith and love be strong enough to survive the storm of violence?

My Review:

This second in Daley's Men of the Texas Rangers series reads well as a standalone. It bears her trademark edge-of-your-seat suspense paired with the fresh perspective of a Hispanic heroine which makes for a winning combination.

Liliana is fiery, determined and fiercely loyal. A woman of strength at odds with the vulnerability she feels in the presence of Texas Ranger Cody Jackson. She's hesitant to repeat the mistakes both her mother and sister have made when it comes to men. And Cody's just as reluctant for different reasons. His rebellious teenage son requires all his attention and then some. Only time is a sparse commodity the second he hits town -- the same day of the first murder.

This is a roller coaster read full to brimming with angst and issues. Underlying themes of abuse and prejudice made this an emotional read for me. And an important one. I appreciate the author taking up the challenge of addressing the social issues of our time. The title, Shattered Silence, is aptly reflected in both themes. A memorable and thought-provoking read.

Giveaway Opportunity:

If you would like an opportunity to win a copy of Shattered Silence, please leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. If you post a comment and add your email address, please use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in the address to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email please remember to put the title in the subject line so that it's easy for me to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Sunday September 30 2012. Offer open to international readers.

September Giveaway - Week Four

Congratulations!

 

won by
Carol N. Wong
and
Diana Flowers

won by Marianne

won by Joy Anne

won by Carmen7351



As always, I will contact the winners by email however thanks to the nefarious ways of the internet my email might land in your spam folder so keep your eyes peeled! :-) If you haven't heard from me by Monday evening please email me your snail mail address at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. From time to time winners and I don't seem to connect, so I have a two week time frame. If I can't reach you within two weeks your win will be forfeited and I will add an extra win to a future draw to even things up.

Looking Ahead to Next Week:

Just starting to read this one
and I'm anxious to discover
Ella's story.

Suspense with an important
message we all need to hear.

Wonderful contemporary romance
with an inspirational thread
that I needed to read!

 

Danger on the Mountain

GIVEAWAY

EASON, LYNETTE
DANGER ON THE MOUNTAIN

After making a new life for herself and her infant daughter in Rose Mountain, widow Maggie Bennett thought they were safe. Getting caught in the middle of a bank robbery changes everything—and introduces her to policeman Reese Kirkpatrick. He seems to be everything her abusive late husband wasn't…just the man she needs to help her through the growing list of sinister occurrences. But Reese has his own baggage—and when a shocking betrayal puts Maggie at risk, Reese must decide if protecting his heart is worth losing a chance at love.

My Review:

The suspense revs up on the very first page and doesn't let up until the last. Dynamic plot with enough twists and turns to give a reader whiplash! I don't know how Eason manages to come up with fresh, riveting suspense every time, but I'm so grateful that she does!!!!!

Note of apology to blog followers: Sorry this is so late in posting. It's been a crazy week at work and I'm still running on frantic!!!! I'll be more prompt in posting my giveaways earlier next week.

Giveaway Opportunity:

If you would like an opportunity to win a copy of Danger on the Mountain, please leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. If you post a comment and add your email address, please use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in the address to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email please remember to put the title in the subject line so that it's easy for me to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Sunday September 23 2012. Offer open to international readers.

The Bridesmaid

GIVEAWAY

LEWIS, BEVERLY
THE BRIDESMAID

Twenty-seven-year-old Joanna Kurtz has made several trips to the altar, but never as a bride. The single young Amishwoman is a closet writer with a longing to be published--something practically unheard of in her Lancaster County community. Yet Joanna's stories aren't her only secret. She also has a beau who is courting her from afar, unbeknownst even to her sister, Cora, who, though younger, seems to have suitors to spare.

Eben Troyer is a responsible young Amishman who hopes to make Joanna Kurtz his bride--if he can ever leave his parents' farm in Shipshewana, Indiana. Yet with his only brother off in the English world, intent on a military career, Eben's hopes for building a life with his dear Joanna are dimming, and patience is wearing thin. Will Joanna ever be more than a bridesmaid?

My Review:

A simple love story rife with complications. How's that for an oxymoron? Loved this gentle read steeped in family and faith but not without moments of angst. In fact there's a certain secondary character who caused me no end of grief! She made me want to barge right into the Kurtz home and take control of the story!  

Lewis is such a solid writer of Amish fiction and I love the depth in character and plot that make her stories so satisfying. This one is beautifully told and a wonderful read Amish lovers everywhere won't want to miss.

Giveaway:

If you would like an opportunity to win a copy of The Bridesmaid, please leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. If you post a comment and add your email address, please use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in the address to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email please remember to put the title in the subject line so that it's easy for me to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Sunday September 23 2012. Offer open to international readers.

"Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc. Available at your favourite bookseller from Bethany House, a division of Baker Publishing Group".   

To Write a Wrong

GIVEAWAY

CAROLL, ROBIN
TO WRITE A WRONG

In Angola State Penitentiary, a man is serving time for a crime he didn’t commit. Riley Baxter is an eager reporter desperate for a story to make a name for herself. When she stumbles upon the daughter of the incarcerated man, Riley sees a little too much of herself in the teen, and vows to help prove her father’s innocence.

At the same time, Hayden Simpson has his hands full with keeping his little sister in line, worrying about his job as Police Commissioner, and dealing with his past emotional baggage. The last thing he needs is someone blowing the lid off his emotional bucket. But when Riley Baxter storms into his life, struggling to understand why God would let bad things happen to good people, Hayden has no choice but to follow his heart.

Now, Riley and Hayden must work together to uncover the truth of the past . . . before someone shuts Riley up for good.

My Review:

First off -- kudos on the title's brilliant tie-in. Love the play on words and the way it fits so well with the story. Yes, I notice those kinds of things. :-) 

Caroll seized me within her writer's grasp and I didn't escape her clutches until the very last word...not that I wanted to. An engrossing plot kept me riveted as I tried to solve the mystery before the characters did. And I succeeded  just in time to read on in  horror when the heroine...well I don't want to give anything away but you can imagine my anguish when Riley didn't heed my panicked "Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo" and proceeded to do just what I didn't want her to do. It's a miracle I lived to write this review, my heart was under that much stress!

Thankfully Caroll soothed my heart palpitations with Hayden and Riley's romance. Talk about a calm before the storm! I loved the balance the author achieved between romance and suspense while still driving the gritty plot forward at a breathless pace.

Of note to gentle would-be readers -- I did find a bit of offensive language in this book. Nothing earth-shattering by worldly comparisons, but one word in particular took me off guard. It actually broke the rhythm of the read for me. Some might argue that in context, the word is acceptable, but I'm finding the trend of adding questionable language into Christian fiction disconcerting. Now it may be a cultural thing too -- perhaps this word is acceptable slang in the southern states (I'm from Canada), but I personally feel that the hero, who is portrayed as such a respectful, protective, southern gentleman just wouldn't say that word in front of a lady (in this case the heroine). Now that's strictly my personal opinion and I will admit to being extremely conservative where language is concerned. 

That being said, I wouldn't skip this or any of Robin Caroll's other works because of the above issue. She's a superb writer and with an imagination and attention to detail that just can't be beat! If you love suspense, you'll be thrilled with To Write a Wrong.


Giveaway Opportunity:

If you would like an opportunity to win a copy of To Write a Wrong, please leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. If you post a comment and add your email address, please use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in the address to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email please remember to put the title in the subject line so that it's easy for me to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Sunday September 23 2012. Offer open to international readers. Good luck!

Critical Condition

GIVEAWAY

ORCHARD, SANDRA
CRITICAL CONDITION

There's a murderer in the hospital, and nurse Tara Peterson is determined to prove it. With mysterious deaths in the cancer ward, anyone could be next. But no one wants to believe her except undercover agent Zach Davis. The murderer wants Tara's suspicions silenced, permanently. To protect Tara, Zach lets her in on his secret, and unwittingly into his heart. Tara and her three-year-old daughter are like the family he lost years before. Zach will risk everything to keep them safe, no matter the cost.

My Review:

Gasp! Still need to take in copious amounts of air in order to recover from my breakneck read! Riveting is putting it mildly. What a clever plot! Lots of twists and turns and peril around every corner but in the midst of it all Zach and Tara have time to connect. The attraction is there from the get go and despite his professional standards, Zach has a hard time resisting. And Tara's daughter -- adorable! Especially when she interacts with 'Dak'. But honestly, every chapter ends in such a way that my heart dropped into my shoes and I had to keep reading! Spellbinding suspense at its best.

 Giveaway Opportunity:

If you would like an opportunity to win a copy of Critical Condition, please leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. If you post a comment and add your email address, please use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in the address to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email please remember to put the title in the subject line so that it's easy for me to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Sunday September 23 2012. Offer open to international readers. Good luck!

September Giveaway - Week Three

Congratulations!

won by Brenda Sharp

won by Amada Chavez

won by Darlene



As always, I will contact the winners by email however thanks to the nefarious ways of the internet my email might land in your spam folder so keep your eyes peeled! :-) If you haven't heard from me by Monday evening please email me your snail mail address at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. From time to time winners and I don't seem to connect, so I have a two week time frame. If I can't reach you within two weeks your win will be forfeited and I will add an extra win to a future draw to even things up.

Looking ahead to next week's giveaways:

Incredibly taut writing made this
a read all in one sitting!

This author just keeps getting better!
A real page-turner!

Just starting in on this one and
it already looks promising.

And something sweet to calm us down
after all that nail-biting suspense!

Taming the Wind

Giveaway

PETERSON, TRACIE
TAMING THE WIND

A young widow nursing the wounds of her past...
A cowboy with demons of his own...

Though grateful for the blessing of her daughter, Carissa Lowe has accepted that widowhood is her lot in life. Bound by fear and mistrust, she feels incapable of opening her heart again.

Tyler Atherton has never forgotten Carissa. When he discovers she's living with her sister on a nearby ranch, his life becomes intertwined with the lovely widow's. And Carissa's daughter, Gloria, seems determined to wrap herself around his little finger. But while Tyler longs to provide a home and future for Carissa, he is haunted by an obligation he feels unable to fulfill.

Challenged by mounting hardships, can Carissa and Tyler preserve their fledgling love in a land as unforgiving and vibrant as the people who call it home?

My Review:

Awesome ending to the Land of the Lone Star series! Peterson meshes the storylines of the previous characters into a grand finale that's a real page-turner. But don't despair if you haven't read the first two books. Taming the Wind reads very well as a standalone. Fans of Hannah and William and Brandon and Laura will enjoy meeting up with them again though.

This is Carissa's story and it's her chance at redemption. She wasn't one of my favourite characters in the series - a very spoiled young miss with willful and conniving ways. But she's grown up some since our last encounter and I found her easy to relate to as the heroine of her own book. 

This is very much a tribute to the women who settled the west. Courage and determination don't begin to cover it. Taming the Wind makes a fascinating read just for the historical information, but combined with the Peterson's heart-stopping plot twists, it becomes a not-to-be-missed book for your TBR shelf.

Giveaway Opportunity:

If you would like an opportunity to win a copy of Taming the Wind, please leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. If you post a comment and add your email address, please use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in the address to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email please remember to put the title in the subject line so that it's easy for me to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Sunday September 16 2012. Offer open to international readers. Good luck!

A Hidden Truth

GIVEAWAY

MILLER, JUDITH
A HIDDEN TRUTH

In the closed communities of the Amana Colonies, hidden truths are about to change everything for two young women...

East Amana, Iowa
1892

When Karlina Richter discovers that a new shepherd will be sent to her village, she fears she'll no longer be allowed to help her father with the sheep. She'll be relegated back to kitchen work, stuck inside all day. Her fears increase when the new shepherd shows little interest in the flock--or in divulging why he's suddenly been sent to East. Is he keeping secrets that will impact Karlina's family?

Dovie Cates visits the Amana Colonies to learn more about the place where her mother grew up. But when Dovie begins to ask questions about her mother's past, no one seems willing to reveal anything, so she decides to take matters into her own hands. Will the answers she finds spell disaster for her future plans and the longings of her heart?

My Review:

Just the kind of solid, riveting, in-depth read that I've come to expect from Judith Miller. The Amana Colonies provides such a fascinating backdrop to the story. Details of the colonists lives and beliefs give body to the work and leave me fussing with questions by the end. That's a good thing. Again, as with the Shakers, I can't help but feel like the Amana followers would be considered a cult in our 21st century.

Loved the details of the shepherd's life as well and the parallels to Christ and his followers that Miller references through scriptures. One of the best inspirational threads I have read in a book. Simple, but so poignant and so relevant even today.

Dovie's quest to uncover her mother's history made for an interesting mystery threaded through the plot. I could feel her yearning and understood her need to to know the truth. I've experienced the same promptings in my own life. Unfortunately no one else understands or accepts her needs as valid and that poses quite a few complications and misunderstandings. And that resulted in frantic page turning for me!

By contrast, Karlina's story is much different from her cousin's. Karlina has been blessed to know her family, anchored in the roots of her faith and tradition, she isn't searching to find herself by sifting through the past. She has enough to deal with in the present! And that includes the infuriating new shepherd cloaked in mystery. Now his past might be worth delving into!

Told in two voices -- both first person -- the chapters flip between Dovie's and Karlina's viewpoints. I love how Miller drew on parallels in their stories to wrap the threads of the plot together. Brilliantly written and greatly enjoyed, I highly recommend this first book in the first of the Home to Amana series.

Giveaway Opportunity:

If you would like an opportunity to win a copy of A Hidden Truth, please leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. If you post a comment and add your email address, please use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in the address to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email please remember to put the title in the subject line so that it's easy for me to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Sunday September 16 2012. Offer open to international readers. Good luck!

"Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc. Available at your favourite bookseller from Bethany House, a division of Baker Publishing Group". 

Circle of Family

GIVEAWAY

ROSS, MIA
CIRCLE OF FAMILY

With his leather jacket, aviator sunglasses and restored WWII plane, pilot Ridge Collins has everyone in tiny Harland, North Carolina, talking. Especially single mother Marianne Weston's impressionable young kids-who think Ridge would make a fine father. But shy Marianne is afraid to open her heart to the handsome pilot with a harrowing past. For one, he's in town only temporarily. And Marianne is all about roots and Sunday dinners, while Ridge is into seeing what's around the bend. But two sweet kids are set on showing him there's no greater adventure than family.

My Review:

This novel is aptly named. Ross does a wonderful job of illustrating the enduring love of family. Love the imagery of the never-ending circle. This is her second book in her series about the Sawyer family and enjoyed the antics of these siblings just as much this time round. And bonus -- we get to see Matt and Caty married. Love when an author is able to ease characters we've grown to know and love into the next book.

Ridge Collins makes one of the most spectacular entrances I've ever 'read'.  And Marianne's reaction is priceless. Just a tad uptight and way too wound up for the likes of Ridge. Loved witnessing their reactions to one another. The sparks fly from that first fateful meeting. And as foot-loose and fancy-free as Ridge appears to be, there is a core of stability inside of him just looking to take root in the right place -- and for the right reason. 

Great family interactions. Ruthy is back with sage advice and Marianne's children steal scene after scene. This is an all-round good romance that will leave you smiling.

Giveaway Opportunity:

If you would like an opportunity to win a copy of Circle of Family, please leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. If you post a comment and add your email address, please use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in the address to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email please remember to put the title in the subject line so that it's easy for me to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Sunday September 16 2012. Offer open to international readers. Good luck!

September Giveaway - Week Two

Congratulations to this week's winners! And thanks to all who stopped by this week!

won by Jo
and Wendy Newcomb

won by Jan



won by Rachelle



As always, I will contact the winners by email however thanks to the nefarious ways of the internet my email might land in your spam folder so keep your eyes peeled! :-) If you haven't heard from me by Monday evening please email me your snail mail address at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. From time to time winners and I don't seem to connect, so I have a two week time frame. If I can't reach you within two weeks your win will be forfeited and I will add an extra win to a future draw to even things up.

Looking ahead to next week's giveaways:

Really looking forward to this one.
Miller is a wonderful, insightful writer
 with lots of surprises up her sleeve.

Just finished this one and loved it!
 

Last in the Lone Star series but it reads well as a standalone.